§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of shadow tolling as a way of funding road-building; [8222]
(2) what assessment he has made of shadow tolling as part of an integrated transport strategy; [8223]
132W(3) what assessment he has made of the potential consequences for local demand management and improvements in public transport of shadow tolling; and if he will make a statement; [8224]
(4) what assessment he has made of the potential environmental consequences of shadow tolling. [8225]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonDBFO projects show that private financing with remuneration under shadow tolling arrangements can offer value for money. There is development work in hand to see whether it is possible to refine the shadow toll payment mechanism so that it is less dependent upon traffic related payments, placing greater emphasis on the safety of the road and the availability of lanes for traffic use. Other aspects of shadow tolling as a funding mechanism for road schemes will be considered further in the context of our comprehensive spending review and in the work to develop an integrated transport strategy.